Many dolphin species jump as part of their daily activities.
Dolphins are highly acrobatic and can often be found performing at marine parks and aquatic shows where they perform tricks such as jumping through hoops, flipping through the air, balancing above the water on their tails, and leaping over 25 feet into the air.
To help them reach fast speeds and jump high, most dolphin species have light, streamlined bodies that allow them to travel through the water with little resistance.
As these marine mammals pick up speed underwater, it allows them to generate a tremendous amount of energy which they can use to propel themselves out of the water and into the air or use for several other purposes.
In the ocean, dolphins use flips and leaps as a form of play and to communicate with other dolphins in their pod.
Dolphins use jumping and other forms of body language to communicate several things to their pod, such as letting their friends and family know of nearby prey, immediate danger lurking in the area, and to show off their level of health and fitness, among other things.
When underwater, dolphins can use their tail and body to propel themselves to speeds of over 25 miles per hour.
This speed helps with jumping and is also used to avoid attacks from potential predators or threats.
To jump high in the air, dolphins will quickly generate speed underwater before performing a jump, and their light, streamlined body, makes it easy for them to leap into the air at such incredible heights.
Although dolphins are known for their acrobatic behaviors, not all dolphin species are interested in being flashy. Some species are rarely spotted due to their docile lifestyle and passive attitude.
A dolphin’s personality and outgoing or shy behavior can vary vastly from one species to the next.
Because some dolphin species are known to display acrobatic behaviors, scientists and researchers have become very curious to understand why dolphins jump and what it means.
They have identified several possible explanations for why these marine mammals perform these remarkable feats.
Food
Dolphins are equipped with an excellent sense of hearing and echolocation, which they use to locate food in nearby areas.
In addition, dolphins may also jump high into the air to get a better view of their surroundings which can help them locate potential groups or swarms of prey at or near the surface of the water.
Predators
Because most dolphin species are small compared to other marine mammals and oceanic animals, they are at a greater risk of being hunted by larger predators such as sharks and killer whales.
To keep an eye on their surroundings and notify other dolphins of threats, dolphins may jump into the air frequently to be sure that there are no threats in the area.
Communication
Communication is essential among dolphins both for their survival and because some species are highly social and use jumping to compete and develop strong bonds with one another.
Dolphins communicate with one another using a variety of sounds, body language and jumps to alert one another of things such as nearby food, threats, a desire to mate, to play around, and to show off their fitness level.
Dolphins jump because it’s fun, allows them to observe their surroundings quickly, and is a valuable way to communicate with other dolphins in a pod, especially because jumps can be seen from a great distance.
As you can see, there are many reasons and uses for dolphins to jump.
It’s not only used to show off but also plays a significant role in their survival ability to thrive in the ocean.